21 Under 31: Young Artists to Watch in 2014 | Mervyn Vowles

Pennsylvania

Mervyn Vowles, Study for Six More Weeks, oil, 18 x 20.

Art Education: I started my education at the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design in Denver. I also took workshops at the Scottsdale Artists’ School in Arizona before moving to Philadelphia to study at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts.

Style: Naturalistic representational.

Creative Spark: A lot of my inspiration comes from my surroundings and from the beauty I find in everyday items. I strive to capture the vulnerability and soul of the person I paint as well as the environment they inhabit.

One Thing People Don’t Know About You: In my pursuit to transition from student to full-time artist, I have become homeless twice. The first time, I lived and painted out of my vehicle. The second time I stayed in a vacant bank building.

Best Advice Received: “Life is the greatest teacher.” And, “You don’t learn to draw by osmosis. You learn to draw by putting in 10 or 12 hours a day drawing and not becoming discouraged.”

Mantra or Motto: Patience and will.

Favorite Studio Music: Depending on my mood it can range from Type O Negative to The Cure, Murder By Death to Radiohead, and classical music to soundtracks and even audiobooks.

Favorite Work by Another Artist: Anything by Thomas Eakins and Andrew Wyeth. Favorite works also include THE FOG WARNING by Winslow Homer and THE ROSES OF HELIOGABALUS by Lawrence Alma-Tadema.

Future Goals: To stay open to new ideas and to challenge myself to make each painting better than the last.